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What if the referees never altered the 2002 Western Conference Semifinals?

The Lakers vs. Kings rivalry of the early 2000s was a great one that gave us plenty of drama to marinate on in the postseason. We threw this specific one on our list of greatest sports mysteries because to this date we don't know with complete certainty whether or not the fix was in. The clip above shows some of the questionable calls that everybody's favorite ref Tim Donaghy corroborated when he said Game 6 was rigged by two refs to ensure a game 7. In the next game the Lakers took the game and the series en route to their three-peat. The Kings lost the series and were never really the same as injuries, old age, and free agency losses led them to become the bottom feeder franchise they are today.

What could've been: Had the Kings won Game 6 and made it to the 2002 Finals, a good case could be made for them becoming champions. The Lakers easily swept the Nets in the Finals that season so we would put our money on the Kings being able to prevail as well. After a title, the team's roster most likely wouldn't have lasted much longer than they actually did, but the loss for the Lakers might have prompted an earlier Kobe/Shaq break up which could have changed the landscape in the league altogether. A Sac-Town championship also likely propels Chris Webber to defintive HOF status unlike the iffy status he's at currently.